Wellbeing of the USA

Summary

Wellbeing of the USA is being affected by politics and by war. Our access to healthcare; our access to health insurance; the state of our environment; the actions of DHS; the fact that we have started a war with Iran; all of these things affect our wellbeing. And, all of these things threaten our democracy. Remember that wellbeing is a process not an outcome. We can work on our wellbeing and protect our democracy by caring for each other, in community.

Wellbeing of the USA

I have chosen a lofty topic for this week’s post: Wellbeing of the USA. Truthfully, I do not plan an in-depth exploration of our wellbeing in the US. In March of 2026, our wellbeing is experiencing a multi-dimensional assault. Let’s delve in and see where it takes US.

Wellbeing of the USA under Attack

Why do I claim that our wellbeing is under attack? Because the evidence is apparent to anyone who opens their eyes.

We have a Secretary of Health and Human Services whose claim to fame is swimming in feces infested waters and snorting cocaine off toilet seats. No health care professional training. RFK Jr is known for spouting conspiracy theories and promoting false information about a multitude of topics, including immunizations. Of course, this is my opinion. Spreading shit is not the purpose of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in my opinion.

We have a Congress which passed the OBBBA Bill which cut funding for Medicaid, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act subsidies, and rural hospitals.

We have a Department of Education which is declassifying health care professional graduate degree programmes in nursing, physician associate science, social work, occupational therapy, physical therapy, nutrition and dietetics, and other fields, as part of the OBBBA Bill. Declassification limits access to student loans which in turn limits our access to the educational programmes.

We have a Congress which has failed to stop Donald and his Cabinet of buffoons from engaging in wars. At least one billion dollars are being spent every day on the War on Iran which is an illegal war by international standards and according to the US Constitution and the War Powers Act of 1973. War kills people: our people, most specifically members of the Armed Forces; and, in the case of the War on Iran, the Iranian people. Killing people destroys people and our wellbeing.

We have a Congress which has not stopped the Department of Homeland Security from profiling, attacking, detaining, and disappearing US, citizens and persons legally seeking asylee or refugee status and persons legally pursuing citizenship. Hunting people and disappearing people does not promote wellbeing.

We have a Cabinet which is corrupt, in my personal opinion. Members of Donald’s Cabinet, Donald, and their family members and associates are engaging in profiteering from their positions of power and their insider knowledge. Members of Donald’s Cabinet, Donald, and their family members and associates are sexually preoccupied, openly engaging in extramarital affairs and connections to Jeffrey Epstein. They have exploited US and are continuing to do so, in my opinion.

Donald and his Cabinet are eroding environmental protections which affects our health and our wellbeing.

Donald and his Cabinet are alienating US from our former allies and are aligning themselves with Putin and other dictators across the world, in my opinion. Our nation is at high risk for attacks, physical, psychological, and cyber, as a result of the actions of Donald and his Cabinet.

And, the list goes on and on and on and on.

Our wellbeing is being assaulted by Donald and his Cabinet and the actions or inaction of Congress.

What Can We Do to Protect Our Wellbeing?

Good question. What options do we have to counter the actions of Donald, his Cabinet, and Congress, in order to promote our wellbeing?

Be good citizens. That means we need to take care of our individual wellbeing as best we can. We need to care for our neighbours. We need to build community. We need to stand up and speak out. We need to be bold and strong.

So, you say that you have never spoken to your neighbours. Start by reaching out today.

You say that you do not like to speak up. Do you like your freedom? Do you like peace? Do you like justice for all? Do you like a life of plenty? Guess what, we are going to need to speak up to save our country and stand by our values and ensure a future for all of US. Start now.

You say that you do not have a community. Yes, you do. Everyone who lives near you; who shares your values; whom you meet in the grocery store; who walks down the street; who turns on the lights in their home; is a part of your community. Everyone is a part of our community.

You say that you get angry when you hear people who are racist or hateful or mocking of those of US seeking justice and peace and harmony and affordability and respect. So do I. Anger is an emotional state. What we do with our anger may become a problem. Try to channel your anger into productive activity like helping someone or sharing something. I know that at times the reflex is to yell. If you decide to yell or speak out in any fashion in opposition to someone, try to address behaviours, not the personal qualities of the individual. Try to address the knowledge deficit, not the intellectual capacity of the individual. And, think about how you would feel in their shoes as the recipient of your yelling.

This thing called democracy is on the line. The survival of democracy is not a certainty in the USA. The best we can do is try to nurture democracy, one interaction at a time.

Strategies for Wellbeing

I have discussed in previous posts strategies to promote our wellbeing. Let’s review some of them.

  • Healthy eating
  • Regular exercise
  • Social connectedness
  • Adequate sleep
  • Emotion regulation
  • Gratitude
  • Compassion
  • Generosity
  • Empathy
  • Immersion in Nature
  • Openness to learning

When Do We Achieve Wellbeing?

Wellbeing is a process, not an outcome.

Every day is an opportunity to practice these strategies for wellbeing. Remember that wellbeing is a process not an outcome. Acknowledge that every day allows US to start afresh on our journey towards wellbeing. Recognize that if we allow ourselves to dehumanize the other person or to dehumanize ourselves, we will not succeed in protecting our wellbeing.

When we start dehumanizing the other person or dehumanizing ourselves; when we forget that each of US is constructed of flesh and blood and hearts and souls and emotions; when we ignore our emotional states and do not analyze them; we allow ourselves to lose our own humanity. That is a certain path to losing our sense of community and to losing our democracy.

Let’s make wellbeing an active part of our daily lives. Let’s allow ourselves to learn along the way. Let’s listen to each other and try to understand: trust me, I know it’s hard to listen when it feels like the other person believes they are better than some people. But, if we stop listening to each other, we will never hear the kernel of doubt which could be our opportunity to shift their beliefs and bring the person to the table for a broader discussion about humanity, justice, peace, love, and respect.

When will peace reign on our Earth? When we let it do so. Trust me, this is going to take all I can muster to contain myself in the face of warmongering beings spewing hate-filled rhetoric. But, I have to try because what other choice do I have?

We are in a marathon right now. I forgive myself for the missteps I made today and I vow to try harder tomorrow. Together, we can carry each other and make sure that each of US finishes this marathon.

Are you with me?

 

‘Dos oruguitas’

 

Immerse yourself in music to inspire you on our quest to save democracy and give peace a chance.

 

Please give generously to local mutual aid agencies. Your neighbours will thank you.

 

 

Disclaimer: The content of this post is not meant to substitute for a consultation with your healthcare professional team.

 

 

If you are thinking of hurting yourself or of hurting someone else, please CALL 9-1-1; CALL 9-8-8; or GO TO the nearest emergency room.

 

Selected References:

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Betancourt, M. (February 11, 2026). Trump administration is sending pregnant migrant girls to South Texas shelter flagged as medically inadequate. Houston Public Media. Accessed online on March 1, 2026, at https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/2026/02/11/543133/texas-trump-immigration-pregnant-migrants-shelter/

Burke, G., Geller, A., and Gonzalez, V. (February 28, 2026). Worms in food, poor medical care, lights on 24/7: Families tell of life in Texas detention center. WRAL News. Accessed online on March 1, 2026, at https://www.wral.com/news/ap/8ab12-worms-in-food-poor-medical-care-lights-on-24-7-families-tell-of-life-in-texas-detention-center/

de Vries, L.P., van de Weijer, M.P., Bartels, M. (February 2023). A systematic review of the neural correlates of well-being reveals no consistent associates. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Volume 145. Accessed online on January 10, 2026, at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763423000052

Evans, B. (September 10, 2023). How disappearance became a global weapon of psychological control, 50 years on from Chile’s US-backed coup. The Conversation. Accessed online on March 1, 2026, at https://theconversation.com/how-disappearance-became-a-global-weapon-of-psychological-control-50-years-on-from-chiles-us-backed-coup-213014

Freedland, J. (December 5, 2025). The Trump Administration sinks to a new low – opening fire on drowning men. The Guardian. Accessed online on March 1, 2026, at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/05/trump-administration-opening-fire-drowning-men?cdmc=36WZhFEEq7DXO0PrKUoQEEeDHhT&refcode2=36WZhFEEq7DXO0PrKUoQEEeDHhT&refcodecdmc=36WZhFEEq7DXO0PrKUoQEEeDHhT

Kago, K., Venkataraman, P. (September 30, 2023). Possibility of conjunction between altruism and egoism. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10, Article 625. Accessed online on January 24, 2026, at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-023-02163-2

KATU Lifestyle. (September 9, 2024). Daniel Levitin Explores Music as Medicine in “I Heard There Was a Secret Chord”. Accessed online on December 1, 2024, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb1P0PEz5GA

Lord, B. (December 30, 2025). Trillionaire Cometh, Democracy Goeth. Patriotic Millionaires. Accessed online on January 5, 2026, at https://patrioticmillionaires.org/perspectives/trillionaire-cometh-democracy-goeth/

Marchant, J. (July/August 2024). A Buried Ancient Egyptian Port Reveals the Hidden Connections Between Distant Civilizations. Smithsonian Magazine. Accessed online on November 9, 2025, at https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/hidden-ancient-egyptian-port-reveals-180984485/

McGill Newsroom Institutional Communications. (November 21, 2019). Human song is universal. McGill University. Accessed online on December 1, 2024, at https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/human-song-universal-302755

Mendez, M.F. (Mar 1 2023). A Functional and Neuroanatomical Model of Dehumanization. Cogn Behav Neurol, 36(1): 42-47. Accessed online on July 5, 2025, at https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9991937/

National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center. (2025). Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR). National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center. Accessed online on March 1, 2026, at https://www.niwrc.org/policy-center/mmiwr

Penn Human Resources (2026). Emotional Well-being During Unrest. Penn Human Resources. Accessed online on January 17, 2026, at https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/wellness-worklife/counseling-and-employee-assistance-program/emotional-well-being-during-unrest

Pluta, A., Mazurek, J., Wojciechowski, J., Wolak, T., Soral, W., Bilewicz, M. (13 March 2023). Exposure to hate speech deteriorates neurocognitive mechanisms of the ability to understand others’ pain. Scientific Reports, 13 (article 4127). Accessed online on October 9, 2025, at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-31146-1

Siegelman, W. (January 1, 2026). Devin Nunes and others linked to Trump Media became officers of a company soon after it made an unsuccessful $10 billion bid for Venezuelan-state-owned Citgo Petroleum’s U.S. assets. NewsTRACS. Accessed online on January 5, 2026, at https://newstracs.com/devin-nunes-and-others-linked-to-trump-media-are-officers-of-a-company-that-bid-for-citgo/2026/01/01/

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United Nations Human Rights. (October 31, 2025). US strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific breach international law, says UN rights chief. United Nations News. Accessed online on March 1, 2026, at https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/10/1166234

UN Innovation Network. June 15, 2023. The Neuroscience of Peace and Conflict. Accessed online on March 9, 2025, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxJPHLbipNM

Women’s Health Tasmania. (July 6, 2023). Your Vagus Nerve and how singing can make you feel better. Womenshealthtas.org.au Accessed online on December 1, 2024, at https://www.womenshealthtas.org.au/blog/your-vagus-nerve-and-how-singing-can-make-you-feel-better

Zaki, J. (May 14, 2020). Catastrophe Compassion: Understanding and Extending Prosociality Under Crisis. Trends Cogn. Sci, 24(8): 587-589. Accessed online on November 17, 2024, at https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7221394/#:~:text=Extending%20Catastrophe%20Compassion&text=Floods%2C%20bombings%2C%20and%20earthquakes%20are,boundaries%20that%20typically%20separate%20people.

Zhao, S., Wang, T., Xiong, B. (May 26, 2025). Neural correlates of conspiracy beliefs during information evaluation. Scientific Reports, 15. Accessed online on January 18, 2026, at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-03723-z

 

 

Nota Bene:

USA Government websites are being purged by the current Trump Administration to align the website content with the regime’s political agenda. Please note that any government website cited in this and other posts on this website may no longer contain evidence based or historically correct information. Thus, I am trying to avoid including any references or resources which derive from a USA government website. This is not bias; I take this action in an effort to maintain a factually sound content in my posts.

 

 

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